It's that time again, folks! With the release of BLADE'S EDGE SAGA, Chapter IV "Chaos Tornado ~Wingblades of Darkness~" [剣刃編第四章「暗黒翼刃」KENJINHEN (Tsurugi-hen), Daiyonshou: "Ankoku-Yokujin (Kaosu-Toruneedo)"] coming May 24th, the time has come for another edition of These Cards are AMAZING!!

True to recent form, Bandai has changed up their preview release schedule once again, but this time they're reorganized by Gem Color, even going as far as to give strategic advice for each Color...! I must say, this is an interesting choice. We'll start off today with the Emerald Spirits.Enjoy~!

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***EMERALD CARDS: "Send in the Clones!"***NINJAS~!!! We got ninjas in our card games!! These new Emerald Spirits come with a never-before-seen keyword ability: REPLICATE (Original Japanese: 分身 Bunshin, "Replica/Doppelgänger"). Fans of the worldwide-popular franchise Naruto should be familiar with the term "Bunshin," but for those who aren't, this new ability essentially lets you summon token "Clone Spirits" to further boost your defenses. There are many timing strategies you can use to summon Clone Spirits, such as when Rekkuumaru is summoned, or when Jounin Tonbi is destroyed, or casting Shining Shadow during Flash Timing. Use these to your advantage, and you can overwhelm your opponents through sheer numbers!If you prefer to further boost Rekkuumaru's strength, the new Emerald Light Sword Brave Kamui & Hayate is just the weapon you're looking for. Exhaust multiple enemy Spirits through CHARGE to refresh Rekkuumaru for a combo attack!!

"JOUNIN TONBI"A strong ninja Spirit for the early game featuring the CHARGE ability and the all-new keyword "Replicate"!!

(Lv. 1-2): CHARGE <<Special Light Spirit Ability>>(Emerald Version)Increase the number of cards your opponent must exhaust due to your cards' effects by +1.When Your Opponent Destroys This Spirit (Lv. 1-2): REPLICATE (1) <Special Emerald Ability>You may draw a number of cards from the top of your deck up to the amount specified above, place them face-down on your Field, and place at least one Core from your Reserve on each of them. From now until the end of the game, these face-down cards will be treated as Emerald Clone Spirits with the following characteristics: {Core Cost: 0} "Doppelgänger" Attribute, [E], Level 1 <1>: 3000BP, No Special Effects Written. (Clone Spirits cannot perform Brave Fusion, and should they be forced back to your hand or your deck, they get discarded to your Trash instead.)For the sake of his village, and for his pride as a shinobi... One feathered ninja accomplished his mission to the last detail.<<Translator's Note: 上忍 "Jounin" = Japanese, a high-level ninja>>

—————"REKKUUMARU THE BRIGHTFANG PHOENIX"Emerald's new key Spirit that clones himself twice upon being summoned!!

When Summoned (Lv. 1-2-3): REPLICATE (2) <Special Emerald Ability>You may draw a number of cards from the top of your deck up to the amount specified above, place them face-down on your Field, and place at least one Core from your Reserve on each of them. From now until the end of the game, these face-down cards will be treated as Emerald Clone Spirits with the following characteristics: {Core Cost: 0} "Doppelgänger" Attribute, [E], Level 1 <1>: 3000BP, No Special Effects Written. (Clone Spirits cannot perform Brave Fusion, and should they be forced back to your hand or your deck, they get discarded to your Trash instead.)(Lv. 2-3): CHARGE <<Special Light Spirit Ability>>(Emerald Version)Increase the number of cards your opponent must exhaust due to your cards' effects by +1.When This Spirit Attacks (Lv. 3): Exhaust one enemy Spirit.The Brightfang Phoenix, the emblem of all Brightfang-style shinobi, can manipulate light and shadow at will!<<Name Origin: The "Brightfang" (光牙 Kouga) in Rekkuumaru's name is likely a clever reference to the 甲賀流 Kouga-ryuu, an ancient school of ninjutsu that originated from the Kouga region in Japan's Shiga Prefecture; ninja of this style are trained in disguise, escape, concealment, explosives, medicines, and poison, as well as being experts in taijutsu (unarmed combat) and the use of various weapons.>>

(Lv. 1): CHARGE <<Special Light Brave Ability>>(Emerald Version)Increase the number of cards your opponent must exhaust due to your cards' effects by +1.BRAVE FUSION: 6+ Core Cost[BRAVE FUSION]: CHARGE <<Special Light Brave Ability>>(Emerald Version)Increase the number of cards your opponent must exhaust due to your cards' effects by +1.[BRAVE FUSION] When This Spirit Brave Attacks: Exhaust one enemy Spirit. If you have exhausted three enemy Spirits due to this effect, refresh this Spirit.These untouchable blades of the violent gale mince all enemies to pieces.

Flash Timing: Exhaust one enemy Spirit. After activating this effect, if you have "Rekkuumaru the Brightfang Phoenix" on the Field, activate that Spirit's Special Emerald Ability REPLICATE (2). Should you have more than one copy of the Spirit just mentioned, only one of them activates the ability through this effect.

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***RUBY CARDS: "The Great Prophecy of Dragons"***Call upon the powers of the Stars to gain card advantage and forecast your victory! With Prophet Dragon's "When Summoned" effect, you can draw cards from your deck by revealing high-cost Spirits from your hand, like Great Attractor Dragon or Messiah Dragon the Astral Blade. The more big Spirits you put in your deck, the more cards you can draw with this effect!If you Brave Fuse Messiah Dragon with Stardust Calyvern, you can use your "When This Spirit Brave Attacks" effects twice in the same move! And since Messiah Dragon already has two Gem Symbols, once you obliterate your opponent's Spirits, your victory is at hand!!

When Summoned (Lv. 1-2): By revealing any number of 8-Core-Cost-or-higher Spirit Cards in your hand and placing them to the side face-up, you may draw a card from your deck for each card you reveal. From now until the end of the game, you can use the cards you've revealed as if they were still in your hand."A ray of light shall shine upon a world ravaged by ruin. This light shall wield a sword of the stars and guide the world's people." His predictions are never wrong. Hope still remains for us.

When Summoned (Lv. 1-2): Destroy three enemy Spirits with 5000BP or less.With the power of the Luminous Dragon Emperor and the Sacred Sword, all those who tried to get in our way were vanquished. By his hand, the Sacred Sword was returned to its rightful place; at the same time, the incidents and disasters that plagued the Scarlet Country of Aka almost immediately ceased. This is a sure sign that the special powers the Sacred Sword lost had been restored without a hitch. Problems still remain in other countries across the world, however, so we started off on another worldwide journey.

When This Spirit Attacks (Lv. 1-2-3): Destroy an enemy Spirit with 7000BP or less.[BRAVE FUSION] When This Spirit Brave Attacks (Lv. 2-3): After you activate the "When This Spirit Brave Attacks" effects of this Spirit's Brave, you may choose one of the same effects of your target Brave and activate it once more.Even if my body is swallowed up in pitch-black darkness, I will save the lives of those to whom my hands can reach!

***TOPAZ CARDS: "The Destructive Rampage of the Imaginary Beasts?!"***This set's Topaz Cards have devastating Darkness RUSH effects when teamed up with Ruby Cards. Setting the dual-colored Nexus Scarlet-TintedRose Garden on your Field in the early game would give you a sufficient advantage in the long run.Chaos Pegasalos is a strong X-Rare Spirit that can take a huge bite out of your opponent's Life Cores. Using the Special Topaz Ability HOLY LIFE, you can deal one Life Core of Damage to your opponent instead of recovering one for yourself! Chaos Pegasalos works very well with cards that disable your opponent's ability to block like Chi You or Life Dream for massive unblockable damage.And if you're looking into Brave Fusion with this beast deity, the new Topaz Sword Brave of Darkness "Twilight Fantasia" is highly recommended. This Sacred Sword's powerful effects activate regardless of whether or not your opponent blocks your attack. Refresh your Brave Spirit or recover a Life Core? Either way, with these cards you can come up with a battle plan that can't be beat!!

"SCARLET-TINTEDROSE GARDEN"A dual-colored Nexus that is compatible with "Holy Life."Summoning your Ruby Cards is now that much easier!

During Your Attack Phase (Lv. 1-2): When you gain a Life Core, draw a card from your deck.During Your Main Phase (Lv. 2): Treat all of the Core Cost Reduction Symbols of all the Ruby Spirit and Brave Cards in your hand as if they were also Topaz Reduction Symbols ("–#T")."If you're gonna have a tea party, this is the best place to do it!" Many people give such enthusiastic recommendations for this garden of roses. To tell the truth, such a fragrant scenery of countless roses in full bloom is an experience you won't find anywhere else.

—————"PERIL BEAST TOUTETSU"Refreshing your Spirits upon being destroyed AND a Rush ability to go with it?! It's an absolute nightmare for your rivals!

When Destroyed (Lv. 1-2): Refresh two of your "Imaginary Beast" Attribute Spirits.Darkness Spirit Ability RUSH Conditions: "Ruby Gem Symbol"If the above conditions are currently available on your Field, proceed to activate the following effect.(Ruby Gem Symbol):Destroy one enemy Spirit with 4000BP or less.Facing the vanishing lands before them, the winged one take flight. He must have predicted this incident would happen... Or could it be that the incident itself has some connection with the Peril Beasts...?<<Name Origin: 饕餮 "Tāotiè" (JPN: "Toutetsu"), the last of the Four Evil Beast Deities from Chinese mythology; depicted as a giant ram with curved horns, tiger fangs, and a human's face, this savage monster is notorious for its power to eat pretty much anything>>

—————"HARPY GIRL"A strong warrior by herself, but with her Rush ability, she becomes ferocious!

When This Spirit Attacks (Lv. 1-2-3): HOLY LIFE <Special Topaz Ability>When your opponent loses a Life Core due to this Spirit's attack, add one Core from the Void to your Life.When This Spirit Attacks (Lv. 2-3): This Spirit cannot be blocked by Level 2 or Level 3 enemy Spirits.Darkness Spirit Ability RUSH Conditions: "Ruby Gem Symbol"If the above conditions are currently available on your Field, proceed to activate the following effect.(Ruby Gem Symbol):Destroy one enemy Spirit with 3000BP or less."The land is being destroyed... Even the Beasts are getting caught in the devastation... Everything is disappearing...." —The Mutterings of Luchiru, the Sixth of the Month of Shimotsuki—<<Name Origin: "Harpy" [from the original Greek "harpyia" (lit. "that which snatches")], a species of legendary winged creatures from Greek mythology; best known for stealing food from King Phineus of Thrace>>

—————"CHAOS PEGASALOS, DEITY BEAST OF DISASTER"Turn the recovering powers of the Holy Life ability into a merciless assault on your rival!!

During Your Attack Phase (Lv. 1-2-3): When using the Special Topaz Ability HOLY LIFE, you may choose to send one of your opponent's Life Cores to his/her Trash instead of recovering one Life Core for yourself.When This Spirit Attacks (Lv. 3): HOLY LIFE <Special Topaz Ability>When your opponent loses a Life Core due to this Spirit's attack, add one Core from the Void to your Life.Darkness Spirit Ability RUSH Conditions: "Ruby Gem Symbol"If the above conditions are currently available on your Field, proceed to activate the following effect.(Ruby Gem Symbol):Return one Spirit Card in your Trash back to your hand.A divine black beast summoned forth by a time witch, he has the power to grant life or take it away with just a mere thought.

—————"TWILIGHT FANTASIA, CELESTIAL BLADE OF DREAMS"A Sacred Sword of dreams with the power to refresh your Spirits or recover your Life Cores!!

When This Brave is Summoned (Lv. 1): When you have less than five Life Cores remaining, you can add one Core from your Reserve to your Life.BRAVE FUSION: 5+ Core Cost[BRAVE FUSION] When This Spirit Brave Attacks: When your opponent blocks this Spirit's attack, refresh this Spirit. If he/she does not block this attack, add a Core from the Void to your Life.The illusions this holy blade displays are a portal to a never-ending dream.

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***SAPPHIRE SPIRITS: "The Might of the Oceanic Empire of Atlaia"***Welcome to the Ocean Kingdom of Atlaia, where 5-Core-Cost Spirits reign supreme! Here, Spirits like Aeon, Prince of the Sea and Ivan, Emperor of the Sea are united with abilities that punish all other Spirits that don't have a Core Cost of 5: Aeon disables the effects of 6-or-7-Cost Spirits, while Ivan destroys 3-and-4-Cost Spirits in addition to stopping 6-or-7-Cost Spirits in their tracks, making them unable to attack or block! But be forewarned; your own Spirits are also vulnerable to these effects, so proceed with caution when deckbuilding with these Spirits.Sea Giant Deity Duranzam makes for a great finisher. Not only does he himself wield COLLAPSE, the strongest deck-milling ability in the game so far, but he also gives this ability to other "Fighting Spirit" Spirits with a Core Cost of 5 or more. With these new cards and strategies, depleting entire decks in a single turn is no longer just a mere fantasy!!!

"AEON, PRINCE OF THE SEA"He seals away the abilities of ALL 6/7-Core-Cost Spirits?!

When Summoned (Lv. 1-2): By showing one Spirit or Brave Card in your hand to your opponent, you can destroy one enemy Spirit with the same Core Cost as the card you revealed.(Lv. 2): Aside from "Aeon, Prince of the Sea," all Spirits on the Field with a Core Cost of 6 or 7 cannot activate their abilities."If my brother truly intends to use that power, I will be there to stop him."

—————"IVAN, EMPEROR OF THE SEA"This royal Giant dominates in a vast range of Core-Cost-targeting effects!!

(Lv. 1-2-3): Treat the Braves of both players' Brave Spirits as having a Core Cost of 0.When in Battle (Lv. 1-2-3): Destroy one enemy Spirit with a Core Cost of 3 or 4.During Each Attack Phase (Lv. 2-3): All Spirits on the Field with a Core Cost of 6 or 7 can neither attack nor block."I shall protect the Oceanic Empire of Atlaia! Yes, no matter what happens to me, I will keep that vow...!"

When This Spirit Attacks (Lv. 1-2-3): COLLAPSE <Special Sapphire Ability>Your opponent must discard five cards from the top of his/her deck for each Battle Level this Spirit is currently at (Lv. 1 = discard 5, Lv. 2 = discard 10, Lv. 3 = discard 15); also, if any cards with Burst Trigger effects were discarded due to this ability, destroy one enemy Spirit.(Lv. 1-2-3): All of your "Fighting Spirit" Attribute Spirits gain +5000BP.(Lv. 2-3): All of your non-Brave-Fused "Fighting Spirit" Attribute Spirits that have a Core Cost of 5 or higher gain the Special Sapphire Ability COLLAPSE (see above for effect details).The mighty swinging fists of this divine Giant crush through despair and grasp onto new hope!

When Summoned (Lv. 1-2-3): Treat the Braves of both players' Brave Spirits as having a Core Cost of 0, then select a target Core Cost amount of either 4, 6, or 7. Destroy all Spirits on the Field with the target Core Cost amount. Any "When Destroyed" abilities the affected Spirits may have do not activate when using this ability.During Your Attack Phase (Lv. 2-3): When one of your "Fighting Spirit" or "Ocean Emperor" Attribute Spirits attacks, look at your opponent's set Burst Card; if it has a Core Cost of 6 or higher, it gets discarded.The flames emitted from the three heads of this strange creature overlap each other and set the Ocean Empire ablaze. "I.... must.... protect.... Aeon...."

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***DIAMOND CARDS: "Overwhelming Defense is the Best Offense!"***As always, Diamond Gem Cards consist of an army of Spirits with high-level defensive power and strong special effects. Sillima Night the Crystal Dragon has the ability to lower the damage you take from Spirits with two or more Gem Symbols to just one, giving you a major advantage against Brave Spirits!Jakou Cat keeps your hand from being affected by your opponent's effects. This a huge keypoint: if your opponent plays a card like [BS20-X06] Leaf Seadra, Timberdragon of Magnificent Abundance, which would block you from using the Spell Cards in your hand, Jakou Cat serves as the perfect counter against it!!Conan Baur, Mechadeity of Strategy is a Spirit equipped with the Special Diamond Ability INVINCIBILITY. Since Conan also has Spirit-bouncing and refreshing abilities, attacking him won't be easy for your opponent.Using the above mentioned Spirits to boost your defenses to new heights while stopping the attacks of enemy Spirits in their tracks, you can set up a full head-on assault on your opponent's Field with this new ace Spirit finisher to lead the way: the Diamond X-Rare Darkness Gryphon, Black Mechabeast Emperor, Yaiba's newest key Spirit in the anime. He's already a strong finisher by himself, but by Brave Fusing him with the Sword Brave Midnight Sun, you can overwhelm your rival with a devastating RUSH combo!!

"SILLIMA NIGHT THE CRYSTAL DRAGON"Reduce the damage from Brave Spirit attacks down to 1!!

(Lv. 1-2-3): When receiving an attack from a Spirit with two or more Gem Symbols, both players only take one Life Core of Damage from that attack per turn.(Lv. 1-2-3): INVINCIBILITY (Ruby/Emerald/Diamond) <Special Diamond Ability>This Spirit is invincible against the effects of all opposing Spirits, Braves, Nexus, and Spell Cards of the Gem Colors stated above.(Lv. 2-3): All of your Spirits that are not Brave Fused gain the following effect: "INVINCIBILITY (Ruby/Emerald/Diamond) <Special Diamond Ability> This Spirit is invincible against the effects of all opposing Spirits, Braves, Nexus, and Spell Cards of the Gem Colors stated above."This giant Dragon who fused himself with inorganic minerals has continuously protected the Sacred Sword, using his whole body as a weapon.<<Name Origin: "Sillimanite" (also called 珪線石 "Keisenseki" in Japanese), an alumino-silicate mineral (Al2SiO5) commonly found in metamorphosed sedimentary rocks; named after the American chemist Benjamin Silliman (1779 – 1864)>>

When Summoned (Lv. 1-2): Return one enemy Spirit back to your opponent's hand.Darkness Spirit Ability RUSH Conditions: "Amethyst Gem Symbol"If the above conditions are currently available on your Field, proceed to activate the following effect.(Amethyst Gem Symbol):Draw a card from your deck.(Lv. 2): Your hand is unaffected by your opponent's abilities.The Machine Beast waves its flashing tail to guide others to safety. When it drops its tail down vertically, that's a sign that danger lurks nearby. Truly, this creature is easy to understand.<<Name Origin: 麝香猫 "Jakouneko" (Viverrids, family Viverridae); consisting primarily of palm civets and genets, this family of 33 omnivorous cat-like mammal species can be found all over the Oriental Region, Africa, and some parts of Southern Europe, but many species face severe loss of habitat due to heavy deforestation>>

—————"CONAN BAUR, MECHADEITY OF STRATEGY"A Spirit with the "Invincibility" effect who is refreshable!

When Summoned (Lv. 1-2-3): Return up to two enemy Spirits back to your opponent's hand.Darkness Spirit Ability RUSH Conditions: "Amethyst Gem Symbol"If the above conditions are currently available on your Field, proceed to activate the following effect.(Amethyst Gem Symbol):Draw two cards from your deck.[BRAVE FUSION] When in Battle (Lv. 2-3): Once per turn, refresh this Spirit.Darkness Spirit Ability RUSH Conditions: "Amethyst Gem Symbol"If the above conditions are currently available on your Field. proceed to activate the following effect.(Amethyst Gem Symbol):Send two Cores from an enemy Spirit to your opponent's Trash.His wings of blackened steel cut off light and enshroud the world in darkness.

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***AMETHYST CARDS: "Endless Attack of the Killer Zombies!!"***With the newest Magnate of Hades Zande Million in your arsenal, your rivals must destroy their own Spirits in order to block your Zombie Spirits' attacks, and should your Zombies get destroyed, Zande Million's Lv. 2 effect lets you summon weaker monsters from your Trash for free! This regent from the Netherworld is the key point to an "Attack and Revive" deck strategy. Add a lot of Zombie Spirits along with Zande Million in your deck, and watch as your Spirits rise from the grave for an infinite assault!!Soul Ripper destroys Braves and gives you a card, in addition to taking out enemy Spirits with a Cost of 4 or less with a SapphireRUSH combo effect. It's also easy to use at a cheap Core Cost of 3. It's a good place to start with for anti-Brave tactics!

When Summoned (Lv. 1-2): Draw a card from your deck.Darkness Spirit Ability RUSH Conditions: "Sapphire Gem Symbol"If the above conditions are currently available on your Field, proceed to activate the following effect.(Sapphire Gem Symbol):Look at your opponent's set Burst Card; if the card has the condition"BURST TRIGGER: After Losing a Life Core,"then he/she cannot activate this Burst for the duration of this turn.Flavor Text Coming Soon....<<Name Origin (Fusion): 木乃伊 "Miira" (Japanese, "mummy") + "Elephant">>

When This Spirit Attacks (Lv. 2): Send one Core from an enemy Spirit to your opponent's Trash.Darkness Spirit Ability RUSH Conditions: "Sapphire Gem Symbol"If the above conditions are currently available on your Field, proceed to activate the following effect.(Sapphire Gem Symbol):Look at your opponent's set Burst Card; if it is a Spirit Card, discard it to your opponent's Trash.Flavor Text Coming Soon....

During Your Attack Phase (Lv. 1-2-3): When one of your "Zombie" Attribute Spirits attacks, your opponent must destroy one of his/her own Spirits in order to be able to block the attack.During Your Attack Phase (Lv. 2-3): When one of your "Zombie" Attribute Spirits gets destroyed by your opponent, you may choose a Spirit in your Trash that has a lower Core Cost than that of your destroyed Spirit and summon it to the Field without paying the Core Cost. Any "When Summoned" effects your new Spirit may have do not activate when using this ability.Flavor Text Coming Soon....<<Name Origin: "Saint-Émilion," a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine (Southwest France) named after a travelling confessor who settled there in the 8th Century; the area is also one of the principal red wine areas of the city of Bordeaux, the world's major wine industry capital and home of the world wine fair Vinexpo (see [BS19-X02] Barock Bordeaux, Magnate of Hades)>>

—————"SOUL RIPPER"A convenient Spell that destroys Braves and gives you a free card!

Flash Timing: Draw a card from your deck by destroying one Brave from an enemy Brave Spirit.Darkness Spell Ability RUSH Conditions: "Sapphire Gem Symbol"If the above conditions are currently available on your Field, proceed to activate the following effect.(Sapphire Gem Symbol):Destroy an enemy Spirit with a Core Cost of 4 or less.

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To answer your question, Bolmeteus, yes the six Promo X-Rares to be featured along with this set are from an old campaign event, "The X-Rare Mythology Revival Campaign," where several X-Rares and other strong Spirits from various past sets returned in fused forms, for example Apollo Gundinos, Solar Brutosaur (Sieg-Apollodragon the Solarwyrm + Gundinos, Brutal Saurian Deity). I have already given the details on all six of them in a bonus preview section in my [BS19] "Sword Generation" version of These Cards are AMAZING!! if you want to check them out.

The Amethyst Preview update officially concludes this edition of These Cards are AMAZING!! since BLADE'S EDGE SAGA, Chapter IV: Chaos Tornado ~Wingblades of Darkness~ should be hitting Japanese store shelves in a matter of hours. Before I leave you to start work on the full translation of the set, Biweekly Battle Blogger Justice Tachibana gave us two additional sneak previews for everyone's curiosity. They may be small creatures, but their abilities can prove to be strategic turning points in battle. Enjoy!

During Your Turn (Lv. 1-2): Treat all of your "Zombie" Attribute Spirits as being at one Battle Level higher than they already are.Flavor Text Coming Soon....<<Name Origin: "Atlach-Nacha," one of the Deities of Hyperborea, a huge spider-like being with an almost-human face that dwells in a cavern deep beneath Mount Voormithadreth; the gigantic web it spins serves as a bridge between the Dreamlands and the waking world (Cthulhu Mythos)>>

—————"ZLATOROCK, GUARDIAN OF TREASURES"Team up with Set 12's Vielgé for devastating control power!! Together they disable the attacks of 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, AND 11-Core-Cost Spirits!?! THAT'S JUST NUTS!!!